Retained Search Success: How We Helped a Firm Find a Game-Changing Hire in Horsham
At ProTalent, we know that finding the right person for a senior-level role isn’t just about ticking boxes on a CV. It’s about finding the one – the hire who brings vision, capability, and chemistry. When a growing firm in Horsham approached us to help them recruit a Tax Director through a retained search, we knew it wasn’t going to be about filling a vacancy. This was about shaping the future of their business.
Here’s how it unfolded, and why more and more firms are turning to retained search for their most crucial hires.
The Brief: More Than a Job Description
This Horsham-based firm had ambitious growth plans. Their existing tax team was strong, but they needed a leader, someone who could own strategy, drive innovation, and manage complex client relationships. They didn’t just want technical excellence. They wanted energy, emotional intelligence, commercial nous, and that rare ability to inspire a team.
In short: a unicorn.
This wasn’t a role that could be filled by advertising and hoping for the best. It needed a tailored, proactive approach, and that’s where retained search comes in.
Why Retained Search?
When a role is this important, contingent recruitment just doesn’t cut it.
Retained search gives both the recruiter and the client the time and trust to do things properly. It means exclusivity, confidentiality, and deep partnership. We take a full brief, conduct detailed discovery, and then go to market with purpose, not just to find someone, but to find the right one.
In this case, the client wanted to:
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Protect confidentiality internally
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Ensure a cultural and long-term fit
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Attract passive candidates who weren’t actively job-seeking
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Avoid wasting time with unqualified CVs
By working on a retained basis, we were able to dedicate significant time to research, mapping the market, reaching out discreetly, and having meaningful, high-level conversations.
The Process: Precision, Partnership, Persistence
We began with a deep dive into the firm’s goals, culture, and future plans. We then:
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Built a target list of potential candidates within the Midlands and beyond
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Approached candidates directly, many of whom were not actively looking but open to the right opportunity
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Held in-depth screening interviews to assess values, vision, and leadership style
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Shortlisted just 4 candidates - all of whom were worthy of interview
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Managed the full process, including interview prep, feedback loops, offer negotiation, and onboarding strategy
Because of the nature of the role, this wasn’t about speed, it was about certainty. And the result was worth the wait.
The Outcome: One Role, Endless Impact
The firm made an offer to a standout candidate who brought a rare mix of technical excellence, commercial thinking, and team leadership. Within weeks of starting, they were already influencing strategy, improving workflows, and building rapport across the firm.
The feedback? “It feels like they’ve been here forever, and we can’t imagine how we managed without them.”
That’s the power of getting it right.
Why Do Firms Choose Retained Search?
More firms are choosing retained search for their most crucial roles, and it’s easy to see why. Here’s what they get:
- A true partnership: We act as an extension of your business, representing your brand professionally and discreetly in the market
- Quality over quantity: No sifting through irrelevant CVs, just curated, high-calibre candidates
- Access to passive talent: The top candidates aren’t on job boards
- Market insight: We share salary benchmarking, competitor analysis, and honest candidate feedback
- Peace of mind: A managed process with accountability at every stage
When It Matters Most, Go Pro
We created ProTalent Professional for exactly these scenarios, where precision, discretion, and expertise matter. Retained search isn’t for every role, but when it’s senior, sensitive, or strategic… it’s the approach that delivers.
👉 Want to learn more? Check out ProTalent Professional
Or just drop us a message. We’d love to help shape your next great hire.
Written by Lydia Sinclair, Managing Director at ProTalent
Helping accountancy practices build brilliant teams, one game-changing hire at a time.